Apple, Pecan and Gingerbread Cake

As much as I love baking it's not often that I make the cake two days in a row. That was the case with this gorgeous cake from the July edition of Delicious Magazine. Honestly it is one of the nicest cakes I've eaten all year combining some of my favourite ingredients: apples, pecan nuts. ginger and cinnamon. How could it go wrong?



Well... actually the first time I made it I had a bit of a disaster - the tin was too small so it overflowed. No matter though - it still tasted fantastic! The second time I made it I used a larger tin which worked perfectly although it took nearly double the cooking time.

Due to the apple, golden syrup and cinnamon this cake will make your house smell amazing when it's cooking, yet another reason to try it out!

According to the recipe this cake gets better as the days go on. Unfortunately for me I doubt i'll be able to test the theory...

Apple, Pecan and Gingerbread Cake Adapted from Delicious July 2012 pg 64

150g butter
150g brown sugar
150g golden syrup
200ml milk
1 2/3 cups (250g) plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs, lightly beaten
75g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
3-6 pieces crystallised ginger, thinly sliced (you can omit if you dislike)
2 granny smith apples, peeled and diced (make sure they are small apples because the cake will end up too moist if it has too much apple in it)

In a small saucepan combine butter, sugar and golden syrup. Heat on a medium heat until butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Add milk, stir and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease and line a 1.5L capacity tin (loaf or  9" round.)

Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger together into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the butter mixture. Stir gently to combine then fold through the eggs and 3/4 of the apples, pecans and ginger.

Pour into prepared tin and sprinkle over remaining apples, pecans and ginger.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean (for my loaf it took 1 hour, for the round it took 1hr 30 mins so keep checking!)

Leave in the tin to cool for 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.

Is absolutely delicious warm out of the oven but also tastes great when cool.

Enjoy!

Sarah xx
P.S. This issue of Delicious has heaps of apple baking recipes - so if you're a fan, I highly recommend this issue!

The ugly overflowed loaf cake. Ugly but delicious!